THE LOST SPRING( CLASS XII FLAMINGO)

Justification of Title

As a little “lost spring” has a tinge of irony. Spring is the best season of a year. Being full of color, fragrance and freshness, it is also a season of renewal and growth. The childhood of human life is often likened to spring, as it marks the beginning of human life and has a tremendous scope for growth. It is full of joy, pleasure and play. Children anywhere in the world are a source of great joy. But, ironically, millions of children like Saheb and Mukesh experience no spring in their lives, for their childhood is consumed in making a living. Education, play and pleasure are not for them to enjoy. They must work to support themselves and their families.
Thus the title brings out the depravity of child labor in a very telling way. 

SUMMARY:-

LOST SPRING (Stories of Stolen Childhood)

Anees Jung

'Lost spring' is fascinating and revelatory description of the lives of poverty stricken children in India. It escapes from being a dry report about child labour because of its evaluative language. It in about children coming to cities to work as rag pickers or cleaners/servers at tea stall; or helping at furnaces where they are exposed to health hazards.

Notes

v Author's encounter with Saheb

·        Meets rag picker Saheb belonging to a refuge family from Bangladesh.

·        Question him about his vocation of rag picking and advised him to 90 to school

·        Promise to open a school

·        Felt embarrassed at making a hollow promise

v Irony in name and existence

·        Full Name 'Saheb-e-Alam' meaning 'lord of the universe

·        But deprived of even basic needs scrounge strut with other rag picker boys

·        Bare foot boys reflected extreme state of poverty

v Passage of time and degree of prosperity achieved

·        Reminded of a priest bare foot son in town of Udipi thirty years ago.

·        Longing for a pair of shoes

·        Thirty year later a boy of same age was seen in full school dress with shoes

·        Rag pickers still shoe less.

v Seemapuri on periphery of Delhi far away from it

·        Dwelling structures of mud. Tin and tarpulin with no sewage drainage or running water

·        Only boon valid ration card to get grain

·        Happy to live in an strange land which provides food grain than in their mother land without grain

·        Rag picking for elders their daily bread and means of survival for children a treasure of wonderful things

v Saheb's longing for childhood

·        Wish to enjoy pleasures of childhood

·        Play tennis, wear shoes

·        Watches Rich boys playing Tennis

v Saheb's New vocation

·        Work on Tea stall Earns Ids 800'pm

·        Appears burdened and forlorn

·        No freedom now

·        Tin container was heavier than his rag picking bag

I WANT TO DRIVE ACAR

v Mukesh

·        A child labourer in a glass factory in Firozabad

·        Wishes to be motor mechanic

·        Wants to learn to drive a car

·        Family unaware that child labour is illegal

v Working condition in glass furnaces

·        High temperature

·        Dingy cell

·        Poorly ventilated

·        Children lose eye sight at an early age

v Living conditions in Firozabad

·        Houses with crumbling walls

·        Humans and animals both live together

·        Stinking lanes

·        Mukesh; house half built

·        For wood stove aluminum utensils

Elder brother’s wife –

·        In charge of family members

·        According to custom cover his face with veil

Mukesh’s father

·        Head of the family

·        Poverty stricken unable to renovate house or provide education to sons

·        Only legacy he hand over is the art of bangle making

v Mukesh Grandmother's view

·        Their present state result of Karma.

·        Accepted her husband's blindness caused by dust of glass bangles as their destiny.

·        Thinks art of bangle making god given lineage.

v Vicious circle of poverty

·        No progress despite of years struggle Poverty, Illiteracy dissatisfaction Victims of middle man and touts

·        Fear of police, lack of leadership check their growth

v Irony

·        Bangle a symbol of Suhaag

·        Every girl child one day as bride will wear bangles.

·        become old with bangles in wrist no sight in eyes.

v Children Double victim

·        First by birth bordered by stigma of caste second

·        No hope : have to accept family occupation

·        ruled by Shahukaars, Middle man, police

·        Little desire to dream snubbed in childhood.

v Mukesh : as exception

·        Have dream to be motor mechanic

·        Practical does not have dream of aeroplanes.

·        Only few planes fly over Firozabad.

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